House Owner Arrested for Operating Prostitution Business in Renovated Residential Basement, Including Costumes

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] A group operating a reservation-based prostitution business by remodeling a basement of a private house in Seocho-gu, Seoul, was arrested by the police.

According to the police on the 3rd, the Seocho Police Station in Seoul arrested four people, including a 50-year-old business owner Mr. A, on charges of violating the Act on the Punishment of Acts of Arranging Sexual Traffic (Sexual Traffic Punishment Act). The police plan to notify the local district office of a total of 14 people, including these suspects, five female hostesses, and five customers, for violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act.

The police received intelligence around the 30th of last month that "a basement of a private house was remodeled to operate a prostitution business," and formed a crackdown team consisting of five officers from the Public Order Division and four officers from the Banpo Police Substation to conduct the operation.

On that day, with the cooperation of the fire department, the police forcibly opened a locked door at a prostitution establishment in the basement of a commercial-residential building in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, and confirmed circumstances indicating the arrangement of prostitution. There were 13 rooms installed inside the establishment. Costumes worn by female hostesses during prostitution were also found.

The establishment was found to have advertised on adult websites on the internet and accepted reservations. However, no evidence of actual prostitution taking place on-site was confirmed, so the customers who visited the establishment were not booked.

The police believe the establishment was not registered as a business and plan to notify the tax office for taxation purposes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.